Occupational Therapy Assistant

Prepare for a career providing rehabilitative services to people of all ages. Our program can equip you with the skills needed to work as an occupational therapy assistant providing direct patient care under the supervision of an occupational therapist.

Students at any Maricopa Community College may need to complete courses at more than one of our colleges.

Occupational Therapy Assistant

Become an Occupational Therapy Assistant

The Occupational Therapy Assistant program at GateWay Community College prepares students to help people of all ages regain independence and improve their ability to perform everyday activities. Students learn therapeutic techniques, patient care strategies, and rehabilitation practices used to support individuals with physical, developmental, or psychosocial challenges.

This Associate in Applied Science program combines classroom instruction with hands-on clinical experience. Graduates are prepared to work under the supervision of an occupational therapist in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, schools, and community healthcare settings.

Occupational therapy assistants play an important role in helping patients recover, build life skills, and return to meaningful daily activities. Work with a healthcare advisor to explore admission requirements and begin your pathway into this rewarding healthcare career.

Additional Information

Why Choose an Accredited School?

Accreditation is a process used to measure and certify the credibility and quality of services offered by an organization. Although many schools offer seemingly similar degree and certification options, not all schools are accredited. In many instances, accreditation of the degree or program you complete may be required in order to become certified to work in the field.

Institutional Accreditation

GateWay Community College is a Maricopa County Community College, accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, a regional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For the latest information on programs, graduation rates, and consumer information, visit gatewaycc.edu.

HLC: Higher Learning Commission
230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500, Chicago, Illinois 60604-1411
Phone: (800) 621-7440 / (312) 263-0456
https://www.hlcommission.org/

The Occupational Therapy Assistant Program at GateWay Community College is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA),

Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE)
7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E, Bethesda, MD
Phone: (301) 652-AOTA
https://acoteonline.org/
[email protected]

Graduates of the program will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapy assistant administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT).
*Note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.

NBCOT Program Data

SaPHE Lab

Simulation

GateWay Community College Occupational Therapy Assistant Program Outcomes
Graduation Year (Based on Calendar Year)	Number of Program Starts	Number of Program Graduates	Graduation Rate %
2021	13	12	100%
2022	22	20	100%
2023	24	22	96%
2024	23	22	96%
2025	21	19	95%
TOTALS	103	95	92%

‡ Graduation rate is calculated as follows: The number of students who graduate on time (G1) plus the number of students who graduate within 150% of the expected time (G2) divided by the number of students admitted in the original cohort (G3) minus the number of students who withdrew due to military, health, family issues, death, and other reasons not related to academic and clinical performance (G4). Calculation per calendar year is = (G1 + G2) / (G3 – G4)